Improvement in lightning-rods



C. H. SMITH.

LIGHTNING ROD.

No- 192,6Z8. Patented July 3,1877.

ATTOR N EY Nv PETERS. FHOTO-UTHOGRAFHER, WASHKNGTON, D C.

JNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN LIGHTNING-RODS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 192,628, dated July 3, 1877; application filed May 2, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. SMITH, of Chicago, in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Ornamental Lightning -Rods; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description 'of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a vertical central section of a globular glass ornament with the gilding inside, and Fig. 2v

is a like view thereof with the gilding outside. This invention has relation to improvements in ornaments. for lightning rods, weathervanes, and other like aerial objects, wherein such ornaments are desirable or advantageous; and the nature of the invention consists in a glass ornament adapted to be removably secured to the apex-rod of a steeple, ligh tningrod, or to be used as weather-vanes, and provided with reflecting-surfaces, all as hereinafter shown and described. It has heretofore been the practice on lightning-rods and steeples to employ a gilded metallic ball as an ornament, or having brilliant reflective surfaces, these ornamentsbeing either made of wood, or of wood covered with metal, or of gilt or silvered metal alone.

These substances, from their liability to being injured by the effects of the atmosphere and from the tendency ofthe metallic or metalcovered ornaments to receive a greater charge of electricity than the rods supporting the same are capable of carrying ofi',thereby great 1y endangering the buildings to which they are attached, have heretofore proved obj ectionable.

I remedy this defect as follows A preferably hollow glass object, of any suitable form,

as of birds, animals, and the like, or of oval, spherical, prismatic, or of any other shape, and of any desired color or combination of colors, is provided with opposite openings, of a size to receive the rod upon which they are designed to be supported. Shouldered bearings may be formed around said apertures, so that by strengthening the ornaments they will be the less liable to split when they are placed in position upon their supporting-rods.

The interior or exterior surfaces of these ornaments may be gilt or silvered in the customary manner, either wholly or in part, or it may be gilded or silvered in spots or stripes.

The gilt or silvering may be applied either on the inside or outside of the ornaments, and these latter may be corrugated or provided with prismatic or other reflecting-surfaces, or may be entirely plain.

Glass, being a non-conductor of electricity, will not accumulate or receive such a charge of the fluid as, being beyond the capacity of the rod to carry 01f, would endanger it or the building or structure supporting the same, and being practically non-corrosible is not lie. ble to the injurious effects of moisture.

These ornaments may be of the form of birds, fishes, animals, or of any other shape whatsoever.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A glass ornament for lightning'rods or weather-vanes, having exterior or interior reflecting'surfaces, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. SMITH.

Witnesses O. A. MOORE, SILAS W. MoonY. 

